New cases of virus deadly to pigs in Manitoba

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Charlie Neibergall
An Iowa farmer and longtime veterinarian talks about his animals affected by porcine epidemic diarrhea on July 9, 2009. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, Charlie Neibergall

WINNIPEG – Manitoba is reporting more cases of a virus that has killed millions of baby pigs in the United States.

Manitoba’s chief veterinary officer has confirmed the presence of porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) at another high-traffic site — a description that could mean livestock yards, trucks or a slaughter facility — in western Manitoba.

That brings the total number of high-traffic or environmental sites that have tested positive to eight.

Since last May the virus, which is not a threat to human health, has swept through more than 5,700 farms in 30 states in the U.S.

The highly contagious virus has also been found in recent months on farms in Ontario, Quebec and Prince Edward Island.